Description

Paul C. Burns (1910-1990) Group Lot of 4 Original Preliminary
Illustrations (1959). This is a unique offering and glimpse
into the genesis of a magazine story illustration. A renowned
illustrator, Paul C. Burns, created numerous covers and scores of
magazine illustrations for many of the national publications,
including American Magazine and The Ladies' Home
Journal. These four preliminaries reveal the creative
progression leading up to a single, final illustration to accompany
the story, Happy New Year, by Lenore Turovlin, published in
the January, 1959 issue of The Ladies' Home Journal. All
four are fully finished preliminary works; two are in color; and
two have notes from the artist to the art editor. For example, the
final preliminary, which is the closest to the published image, has
the following notation to the art editor along the bottom edge:
"Bill - In a finish of this I would plan the use of a little more
solid painting technique in the flesh tones, rather than a wash."
Each of the four originals is rendered in pencil and mixed media (
two in color, two in black and white), and all four are on boards
that measure 15 x 20. Each of the four preliminaries is signed.
Also included in this lot are three of the original model
photographs used by Burns, and an issue of the The Ladies' Home
Journal where the story, with its final version of the
illustration, appeared.